No non-quarterback position is more talented or valuable than the NFL edge rusher. Random is rabid, and it comes out most when discussing quarterbacks and pass rushers. No position group produces the type of athletic phenoms as the pass-rush group. They come in all shapes and sizes, but each is an exceptional athlete in their own right.

Notably, the “best” is not necessarily the player with the best statistical output from 2022. Talent, longevity, dependability, and stats are all weighed against one another to create the list.

Who’s the Best EDGE in the NFL?

Fans of their respective teams will probably tell you there is a wrong answer, or three incorrect answers, to this question. Nick Bosa, Myles Garrett, Micah Parsons, and T.J. Watt could all be considered by someone as the best pass rusher in the NFL, and I wouldn’t bat an eye. Each has their argument, but in the end, it all comes down to preference.

Myles Garrett is the best EDGE in the NFL. If you were to ask 10 hardcore All-22 watchers, there is a very good chance that eight of the 10 would agree. One may prefer Parsons, and the other may prefer Watt. But most who spend hours each week watching the game year-round think Garrett is the superior pass rusher, despite not having the same sack production as Watt when he’s healthy.

Over the past three seasons, no player has accumulated more sacks than Garrett. If we go back four seasons, only Watt has more. And while sacks are undoubtedly influential when discussing the productivity of a pass rusher, it’s only a single variable in the discussion.

The 270-pound pass rusher is far more explosive and flexible than he has any business being. The fact that Garrett’s 270 pounds and looks like he’s only 12% body fat is absurd. The fact that he’s heavy, lean, and flexible should be proof to everyone that big doesn’t inherently mean stiff. But Garrett was built in a lab.

Style matters. Being impressive when you win matters. Racking up coverage sacks is not the same as beating Tristan Wirfs up the arc with a ghost move in two seconds, for instance. But even while Garrett played banged up in 2022, he remained a ridiculously productive pass rusher, and his 39 defensive stops ranked sixth in the NFL among all EDGEs.

EDGE Rankings 2-11

In any given season, any of the following six pass rushers could be flipped whichever way. There are multiple unique skill sets among them and an abundance of talent and productivity to boot.

2) Micah Parsons, LB, Dallas Cowboys

There’s no longer a debate about where to rank Parsons. He’s an EDGE who can play off-ball linebacker.

If there were an award for defensive MVP, Parsons would win. The DPOY is rewarded to the most productive player on that side of the ball, much like OPOY and MVP are often different players. Parsons’ -0.43 EPA difference when on vs. off the field is by far the most significant difference among the top four players on the list.

Garrett, Watt, and Bosa are all more technically refined pass rushers, but that doesn’t mean Parsons lacks a sharpened edge. But what makes Parsons arguably the most dangerous defensive player on the planet is the unbelievable strength he possesses at his size and his ability to learn Instant Transmission from Goku. He is “the missile.”

“The missile knows where it is at all times. It knows this because it knows where it isn’t. By subtracting where it is from where it isn’t, or where it isn’t from where it is (whichever is greater), it obtains a difference, or deviation. The guidance subsystem uses deviations to generate corrective commands to drive the missile from a position where it is to a position where it isn’t, and arriving at a position where it wasn’t, it now is.”

Despite being somewhere around 250 pounds, Parsons is almost always the fastest player on the field at any given time, which makes him a terrifying entity coming off the edge.

3) T.J. Watt, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Watt is the grinder of the group. Not everything he does is as aesthetically pleasing as the other top players, but his production is unquestionable. But while Watt has seen spurts outproducing Garrett, he’s actually been slowly closing the gap on Garrett, and it has little to do with his pass-rushing ability.

Watt’s grown into one of the most consistent run defenders on the planet at the position over the past few seasons. He doesn’t have Garrett’s size or length, but Watt has consistently improved his ability to find ways to improve his run-stopping ability.

Despite being handsomely compensated and well-established, Watt still plays like he has everything to prove on every snap. Few players fit the culture of their city better than Watt, which is why he has a cult-like following among Steelers fans. And even though Nick Bosa is a more talented pass rusher, was healthy last season where Watt wasn’t, and is the DPOY, Watt remains in the top three.

Watt was not the same pass rusher we’re used to seeing last season. Pass rushing is a work of art, and Watt is a conceptual artist. But he wasn’t healthy last year, and while it’s clearly affected his personal impact, the defense is better around him when he’s on the field. Only Parsons was more valuable to his defense.

4) Nick Bosa, DE, San Francisco 49ers

When the Defensive Player of the Year comes in at No. 4 on the list, you know that the position group is absolutely loaded with outrageous talent. Each of the players in the top four are among the 10-best players in the NFL when healthy. They’re unbelievable.

Bosa finished the year with the most NFL sacks and tied for most pressures. Few draft evaluations were as simple as his. He left Ohio State as nearly the same player his brother was, and Joey had already been a huge NFL success.

However, they’re not a carbon copy of one another. Nick is more of an old-school power player, whereas Joey wins around the arc with technical prowess and explosiveness, even though Nick is the slightly better athlete overall. The younger Bosa’s impact against the run is evident. He maximized his length and strength incredibly well on the edge. His 39 defensive stops on the edge tied Garrett for sixth in the NFL for his position.

5) Haason Reddick, OLB, Philadelphia Eagles

The NFL game continues its speed revolution. Edge defenders are arguably the most relatively athletic position in the sport, and explosiveness is a weapon in attacking opposing quarterbacks. Haason Reddick is a better run defender than he’s given credit for, but he doesn’t play with the same power as Parsons, which keeps him out of the top tier of NFL pass rushers… for now.

Reddick’s 16 sacks last season were tied for second in the NFL, and his 68 pressures were good for ninth-best. While we’ve seen outstanding pass-rush productivity from Reddick over the past three seasons, playing on an Eagles defensive front filled with all-stars certainly helped keep him free more often than not.

Reddick began his NFL life as an off-ball linebacker because… well… while Maryland does crabcakes and football, the Cardinals play hybrid players out of position (shoutout to the Steve Keim era of drafting in Arizona). They only played him on the edge after a Chandler Jones injury, and to nobody’s surprise, he was an incredibly productive pass rusher. It’s almost like he played defensive end in college or something.

So after Reddick exploded onto the scene as a pass rusher, obviously, the Cardinals decided to let him walk in free agency. After having another productive season in Carolina, Howie Roseman smelled blood in the water and pounced on the pass rusher. The rest is history that we’re still witnessing.

6) Maxx Crosby, DE, Las Vegas Raiders

Nobody rushes up the arc like Maxx Crosby. It’s not easy to win consistently as a primary outside rusher. But for Crosby, that doesn’t matter because he’s a master at making himself a small target when attacking the outside shoulder of offensive tackles. He gets skinny up the arc and bends with the best of them.

The league’s best pass rushers were almost all highly regarded coming out of college. Most were first-round picks. But Crosby is one of only two pass rushers inside the top 11 that were drafted outside of the third round.

In 2021, nobody pressured the QB more, and Crosby finished third in 2022. His outside rushing prowess will keep him high on that list, even if not every pressure is created equally. Crosby affects the QB very often, and the sacks came more often in 2022 as well.

No NBA player averages 40 minutes per game anymore. If Crosby hooped, he’d play 44 of the 48 minutes in an NBA game. He played 129 more snaps than the next-closest edge defender. It’s outrageous that Crosby was able to so effectively grow as a run defender while playing that many snaps. That is a testament to his conditioning and pure desire to remain on the field.

7) Joey Bosa, DE, Los Angeles Chargers

If the list was purely based on natural talent, the eldest Bosa would be right near the top. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen him get the same type of opportunities that the other top rushers have managed because Bosa has missed somewhat significant time in four of his seven NFL seasons.

And then he got hurt again.

His younger brother was an easy evaluation coming from Ohio State, and it’s because he was similarly professional to Joey. The elder Bosa was a professional pass rusher in college and a true technician from Day 1, which should come as no surprise considering their father, John, was a defensive end in the NFL from 1987-1989.

8) Matthew Judon, OLB, New England Patriots

Matthew Judon is easy to find. The Patriots’ OLB wears bright red long sleeves underneath his uniform, but seeing him doesn’t help pass protectors block him.

The NFL doesn’t love shorter players unless they have great length to pair with the underwhelming height. Judon may only be 6-foot-3, but his near 34-inch arms and packed-together frame make for an incredibly powerful player. Judon brings outstanding violence in his hands that he uses to dissect blocks.

That’s what makes him special. While most on the list possess outrageous explosiveness, Judon’s greatest weapons are his arms and hands. On the season, Judon finished with 69 pressures and ranked fourth among edge rushers with 15.5 sacks.

9) Brian Burns, DE, Carolina Panthers

If you build a pass rusher in a lab, they’d look like Garrett. But if you wanted to be a bit more realistic and less alien in your creation, they’d come out looking like Brian Burns.

Nobody bends like Burns. He can duck underneath the smallest table in an IKEA, and it makes him a menace to offensive tackles. When looking for the “prettiest” pass rushers in the NFL, few are more aesthetically pleasing than Burns.

Burns is the next generation of Robert Quinn. In some ways, he’s the natural evolution of Quinn. His predecessor has seen some unbelievable sack production intermittently throughout his career, but it was never consistent. That’s because speed and bend alone cannot consistently win.

Burns has more natural power and uses his length more effectively as a run defender than Quinn ever did. And while Burns wouldn’t be considered one of the better run defenders for the position, he’s not a complete liability, either.

10) Za’Darius Smith, DE, Cleveland Browns

It’s a shame that Za’Darius Smith is relegated to 10th on this list, but that’s just an indication of how ridiculous the talent pool is at this position at the NFL level.

Smith isn’t the explosive freak that the top rushers are, but he’s maintained ridiculous production from his 270-pound frame over the past few seasons. Now he’ll be playing on the opposite side from Garrett, making for the most devastating duo in the NFL.

Players without ridiculous get-off must be able to win inside, outside, and through blockers. Smith’s hands allow him to work inside and outside, and his power and length allow him to win through the face of offensive linemen when he wants to win with power.

11) Von Miller, OLB, Buffalo Bills

The Hall of Fame needs to add a bust of Miller ducking underneath an offensive tackle with his famous “ghost” move. His blend of power, bend, technique, and explosiveness is truly special for the position. And despite being one of the best pass rushers of his generation, Miller’s value is in his wholeness. He’s also somehow been one of the league’s best run defenders on the edge, despite being “undersized.”

Unfortunately, after having an outstanding season, the veteran EDGE was lost for the remainder of it following Week 12. Buffalo was keeping him somewhat fresh because the team had the depth to allow for that, but an ACL tear ended his impressive year early.

Top EDGEs Remaining

Lists are always a double-edged sword. They let you acknowledge and appreciate the best in the game, but there are always plenty of names left off that are outrageous talents in their own right.

12) Rashan Gary, OLB, Green Bay Packers

Rashan Gary needed a ton of seasoning before he was ready to cook at the NFL level. He was about as raw as a pass rusher could be coming out of Michigan. However, the 6-foot-4, 277-pounder posted one of the best NFL Combine performances of all time.

His 9.95 Relative Athletic Score meant he was an all-around weapon. The fact that Gary possesses arms over 34 inches made him an unbelievable blank slate.

Losing Gary in Week 9 to an ACL tear was a devastating blow to an already underperforming Packers defense. The moldable ball of clay was looking like a legitimate edge threat as a pass rusher, amassing 35 pressures over the first eight weeks of the season. if the modern game is proving anything, it’s that personal position coaches are getting better and better at taking raw athletic freaks and making them into all-around weapons.

13) Danielle Hunter, DE, Minnesota Vikings

Historically speaking, drafting a pass rusher with 4.5 sacks in two college seasons playing significant time is a losing proposition. Danielle Hunter is the exception to the rule that college production on the edge is a good indicator of NFL production. He’s arguably the modern-day raw prospect.

However, by his age-22 season, Hunter had produced 12.5 sacks. And although 2021 was cut to only seven games, he quietly got back on track in 2022 and was playing some very good football after starting off somewhat slow.

Hunter’s future with the Vikings is in question, but his future as a productive pass rusher is not.

14) Khalil Mack, DE, Los Angeles Chargers

We need to receive what we were promised. Until Khalil Mack and Bosa play a majority of a season together on the field, we shall not be satisfied.

The 32-year-old Mack spent much of 2021 injured, and the older Bosa brother spent most of 2022 injured. Unfortunately, Bosa hasn’t necessarily been a pillar of health as a pro.

Mack is an outrageous technician and gifted athlete who has long been one of the best overall edge rushers in the NFL. He’s a stout run defender with incredible pass-rushing chops.

15) Trey Hendrickson, DE, Cincinnati Bengals

When the Cincinnati Bengals paid Trey Hendrickson to leave New Orleans, there was quite a bit of head-tilting. The four-year, $60 million deal appeared incredibly expensive for a part-time player who hadn’t played over 600 snaps in his NFL career and was a lackluster run defender.

Yet, Hendrickson’s amassed 171 pressures since becoming a Bengal. While his 13.5-sack season in New Orleans felt like a fluke, he followed it up with a ridiculously productive 2021 season.

It’s impossible to have a worse aesthetic than Hendrickson. He doesn’t wear gloves, he wears No. 91, and he insists on wearing sleeves the same color as the team’s uniforms. Despite all of that, he’s one of the smoothest pure NFL pass rushers.

Look good, feel good, play good is a lie.

16) Demarcus Lawrence, DE, Dallas Cowboys

Like with interior defenders, it’s difficult to crack the top 10 as a run-defending savant if the pass-rushing production doesn’t add all that much to the equation. Demarcus Lawrence has long drawn the ire of Cowboys fans because his sack production has been lackluster since 2019.

Nevertheless, Lawrence is one of the best run defenders in the league, regardless of position. He’s a stout edge-setter and an absolute menace in the backfield, using his strong, accurate hands to dissect blocks. His 44 defensive stops were second in the NFL, showing precisely how productive he is as a difference-maker.

17) Sam Hubbard, DE, Cincinnati Bengals

Not unlike Lawrence, Sam Hubbard is one of the most underrated NFL defensive ends. Like Lawrence, Hubbard is a difference-making run defender, and in 2021 and 2022, his productivity as a pass rusher reached new heights.

Ohio is a blue-collar state, and Hubbard is the definition of a blue-collar player. He has very little flash in his game, and he’s played second fiddle on his own team dating back to college. But Hubbard is uninspiringly good at football, and in the past two seasons, that flashless talent has resulted in a spike in pass-rushing productivity, which is something that we were never really sure we’d get from Hubbard in the NFL.

That has propelled him to heights many never saw coming.

18) Shaq Barrett, DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Shaq Barrett was incredibly consistent from 2019-2021, precisely when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed him most. Only the younger Watt, Aaron Donald, and Garrett sacked opposing quarterbacks more over that time frame than Barrett. But he also ranked inside of the top five each season in pressures, meaning even when he wasn’t finishing with the QB on the ground still in possession of the ball, Barrett was affecting the QB. It’s also a better indicator of future sack production than sacks are.

Despite Barrett’s somewhat undersized nature and reputation as a pass rusher, he is far more well-rounded than he’s given credit for. He’s a sturdy run defender who has dropped into coverage over 500 times in his career. And while nobody would confuse him for Pat Surtain, he’s been sufficient in space.

19) Denico Autry, DE, Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans’ defense fell apart a season ago because they couldn’t stay healthy. Without Harold Landry III on the field all season, the pass-rushing responsibility was solely on Denico Autry and Jeffery Simmons.

Autry is no small fellow on the edge. He weighs in at nearly 300 pounds and has become more effective after turning 30 because he’s now playing on the outside as an edge rusher instead of an undersized interior player. Autry plays with violent and accurate hands and surprising explosiveness for a player his size.

20) Jaelan Phillips, OLB, Miami Dolphins

Jaelan Phillips was the best pass rusher in the 2021 NFL Draft class. And although it wasn’t the most talented class overall, he’s proven to be exactly that so far in his young career. Having Vic Fangio in his corner for 2023 certainly won’t hurt Phillips’ progression as one of the league’s most feared pass rushers.

With Fangio, Phillips will still drop into coverage, as he did nearly 100 times in 2022. And for being a pretty stout edge defender, he’s surprisingly springy in coverage.

Phillips’ versatility makes him a very dangerous weapon. He’s already a good run defender with an advanced pass-rush plan. He finished the season with 70 pressures, tied for sixth among all edge defenders. But what’s most impressive about Phillips is the versatility he brings as an OLB.

The only thing keeping Phillips from being higher on the list is other players have established themselves over years of play at the NFL level. If Phillips has a similar season or continues to ascend, he could round into one of the best outside linebackers in the game.

21) John Franklin-Myers, DE, New York Jets

John Franklin-Myers shouldn’t really exist in the capacity he does. It truly doesn’t make sense for a 280-pound player to be an edge defender in the modern game unless they are a lab-built entity — a la Myles Garrett — who is slightly leaner.

But Franklin-Myers is an incredible exception to the rule. The Stephen F. Austin product has been arguably the most underrated defensive player in the NFL since 2020. At his size, it’s hard to be a highly productive player on the outside, but he’s been able to overcome the league’s migration to speed. And it benefits Franklin-Myers because OTs aren’t used to his strength.

The Jets’ pass rusher might be the poster child for having the “run through your face” gene. He combines outstanding power with his length to long arm blockers into the quarterback’s lap. However, Franklin-Myers also possesses one of the most devastating hump moves in the game, and he can be a menace against the run and pass.

22) Montez Sweat, DE, Washington Commanders

Before Montez Sweat, we had never seen a DE prospect run a 4.41. Yet, Sweat did this at 260 pounds.

We’ve seen our fair share of ridiculous athletes at the position, particularly over the past few seasons. But none of them have run the way Sweat did. And his seven-second three-cone drill was proof he’s not only a straight-line athlete.

Sweat isn’t incredibly flexible, which is probably why he hasn’t been able to ascend to the level we’ve seen from less athletic pass rushers. It highlights the importance of ankle flexibility and the ability to contort against blockers.

However, having 36-inch arms helps Sweat both as a pass rusher and run defender. And his explosiveness and length allow him to consistently collapse the pocket.

23) Cameron Jordan, DE, New Orleans Saints

This ranking is easily the most painful among the top 32 because it very well might mark the end of an era. As his mid-30s approach, Cameron Jordan was not the same pass rusher that we’ve become accustomed to seeing. He also missed the second game of his NFL career, which means it’s probably all downhill from here.

No. We refuse to believe that we won’t get a bounce-back year from Jordan in 2023. He still plays with outstanding power on the edge, and his ability to defend the run is very much alive and well. Jordan didn’t win in 2022 as often as we’re used to seeing, but the entire front line in New Orleans struggled at times.

With Mickey Loomis kicking the salary cap can down the street yet again to try and compete in 2023, expect Jordan and the rest of the Saints’ aging defense to catch a second wind and compete for the NFC South title. We need Jordan to continue playing at a high level and to remain on the field, because his roster photos are better than any school photos in world history.

24) Josh Allen, OLB, Jacksonville Jaguars

While we’re all still waiting for this Josh Allen to take the next step like the other Allen did with the Bills, Jacksonville’s version is proof that a pass rusher doesn’t need a laundry list of pass-rush moves to be a menace off the edge.

Allen has good length and is very explosive, which allows him to really flourish by converting speed to power. He’s still learning the finer points of playing the position, but while Allen hasn’t had the sack production he produced as a rookie, he has become a better pass rusher in that time.

The best thing about Allen has to be the strides he’s made as a run defender. He fills out his 260-pound frame well, and he should continue to improve and mature as a player as the situation around him improves.

25) Brandon Graham, DE, Philadelphia Eagles

Brandon Graham is practically an AARP member at this point, but that doesn’t matter at all, especially in a deep Philadelphia rotation. At 34, Graham dipped into the double-digit sack range, playing under 300 pass-rush snaps in total.

With Graham fresh, he was able to show that he’s just as good today as he was before his injury. He’s been consistently productive for the better part of a decade now, and it will be interesting to see how much longer the veteran plays for.

26) Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions

The 2022 NFL Draft’s second-overall pick is going to be a very solid player for a really long time. To make this list as a rookie is incredibly impressive, given how many talented edge defenders are in the league.

Hutchinson wasn’t quite the level of NFL Draft prospect that the Bosa brothers were, but he provided the same sort of consistent production in college that allowed us to believe he could hit the ground running as a pro. Although his sack production came in spurts as a rookie, he was able to provide consistent pressure on the Lions’ edges.

27) Alex Highsmith, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Playing as many snaps as Alex Highsmith does is a double-edged sword. On one end, he’s able to accumulate a ton of production simply because he gets more opportunities than most of his peers. In 2022, only Crosby, Hutchinson, and Burns played more snaps than Highsmith.

The downside is that his efficiency takes a hit because it’s incredibly hard to be consistently effective as a pass rusher when you’re gassed. But because the Steelers refuse to give their two pass rushers a break, it makes what Highsmith provides on his side of the pass rush so incredibly valuable.

28) Josh Sweat, DE, Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles’ pass rush was the best in the NFL in 2022, and Josh Sweat certainly did his part. The 25-year-old came into his own this past season, posting career-high marks in pressures and sacks. Sweat was a favorite of many a draftnik back in the day because his flexibility and hands are stupendous.

At just 25, he has a long future terrorizing opposing offensive tackles in the NFC East. And the league deserves it because Sweat was one of the best prospects in his draft class, who tested out of this world but fell because of a knee injury during his senior year of high school.

29) Kwity Paye, DE, Indianapolis Colts

The University of Michigan has produced a few players along the defensive line that have graced the top of Bruce Feldman’s Freak List over the past half-decade. Kwity Paye didn’t participate in agility testing at the NFL Combine, and that’s likely because the result wouldn’t have matched up to the legend.

However, he matched the reported 4.57 40-yard dash and bested the 34-inch vertical and 30 reps in the bench press that were discussed at the top of Feldman’s list.

Imagine a refrigerator with arms extending into your chest on the edge of the offensive formation. At 6-foot-2 and over 260 pounds, that’s exactly how Paye sets the edge. He pairs an impressive frame with outstanding explosiveness, which allows him to stun blockers as a run defender with consistency.

30) Gregory Rousseau, DE, Buffalo Bills

Gregory Rousseau is an interesting study. He is a long-limbed pass rusher who fits into an older era of football while remaining productive in the faster modern game. Rousseau was immediately a better pro than he was a college player, but Buffalo’s defense isn’t one to necessarily utilize the versatility he provided in college, either.

He’s a bit hidden on a ridiculously talented Bills depth chart that features four former first-round picks and two second-rounders. In another situation around the league, Rousseau may be even more highly regarded as a pass rusher.

31) Bradley Chubb, DE, Miami Dolphins

Bradley Chubb has run into an issue not uncommon for NFL players. Since entering the league in 2018, he’s seen two seasons cut short by injuries and hasn’t seen the same pass-rushing productivity that we saw in his rookie season in 2018.

Fangio is a massive win for the Dolphins defensively, and although Chubb’s best season was as a rookie with Vance Joseph, he was able to sack opposing QBs 7.5 times in 14 games in 2020 with Fangio.

32) Josh Uche, OLB, New England Patriots

It shouldn’t surprise a soul if we see Josh Uche skyrocket up lists like this in 2023 and beyond. Uche was a bit of a jack-of-all-trades at Michigan, and the NFL — and most notably, Bill Belichick — saw value in how he rushed the passer.

Reddick comes to mind at first glance after watching Uche’s burst off the edge. That explosiveness is an incredible weapon for the Patriots’ defense. All Uche needs is more opportunities.